Youth resistance has become a pressing global phenomenon, to which many educators and researchers have looked for inspiration and/or with chagrin. Although the topic of much discussion and debate, it remains dramatically under-theorized, particularly in terms of theories of change. Resistance has been a prominent concern of educational research for several decades, yet understandings of youth resistance frequently lack complexity, often seize upon convenient examples to confirm entrenched ideas about social change, and overly regulate what “counts” as progress. As this comprehensive volume illustrates, understanding and researching youth resistance requires much more than a one-dimensional theory.

Youth Resistance Research and Theories of Change provides readers with new ways to see and engage youth resistance to educational injustices. This volume features interviews with prominent theorists, including Signithia Fordham, James C. Scott, Michelle Fine, Robin D.G. Kelley, Gerald Vizenor, and Pedro Noguera, reflecting on their own work in light of contemporary uprisings, neoliberal crises, and the impact of new technologies globally. Chapters presenting new studies in youth resistance exemplify approaches which move beyond calcified theories of resistance. Essays on needed interventions to youth resistance research provide guidance for further study. As a whole, this rich volume challenges current thinking on resistance, and extends new trajectories for research, collaboration, and justice.

Editorial reviews

“This cogent, rich, and multi-voiced volume advances the field of resistance theory by countering attempts in mainstream scholarship to domesticate youth resistance under the banner of such terms as ‘empowerment’ or ‘civic participation.’ It faces squarely the messiness of resistance by illuminating its complexities, contradictions, tensions, and dilemmas in ways that both honor and deepen our understanding of youth’s acts of agency. Kudos to Eve Tuck and K. Wayne Yang for a bold and courageous text!”—Angela Valenzuela, author of Subtractive Schooling and Leaving Children Behind, College of Education, University of Texas at Austin

“The passion, clarity, and diversity of thought offered here powerfully signal new possibilities for how educators can critically comprehend conditions of educational injustice and the vital role youth resistance plays in the process of transformation. In contrast to the disrespect and hopelessness often attributed to youth in schools, these essays speak volumes to the formidable strength and courage of students, who despite potential risks, rise up valiantly to oppose colonizing educational practices that threaten their humanity. Most importantly, the book challenges one-dimensional notions of youth and resistance by rethinking structural complexities so often ignored. It is truly a must read.”—Antonia Darder, Leavey Endowed Chair in Ethics and Moral Leadership, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles

“Tuck and Yang’s Youth Resistance Research and Theories of Change could not have come at a better time. Public education, our youth, and communities of color have come under assault from an onslaught of neoliberal education and public policy reforms. This book not only helps us understand resistance in more complex and powerful ways, it points to the critical role of youth in building, activating, and sustaining social justice movements in the 21st century.”—Wayne Au, editor for Rethinking Schools and Associate Professor of Education, University of Washington-Bothell